May 25, Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Police have arrested three men suspected to be members of Sri Lanka's Tamil terrorist group, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a top Malaysian police official has said Sunday.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said the suspects were arrested in multiple raids in Petaling Jaya and Klang, Selangor, and were being held under the Immigration Act.

Malaysia's Counter Terrorism Division of the police's Special Branch has arrested the three suspects on May 15, the Malaysian National News Agency Bernama reported.

According to the police official the suspects had been in Malaysia since 2004 after entering the country illegally.

Initial investigations have found that the suspects had used Malaysia as a base to collect data and spread propaganda, while trying to revive the defunct LTTE terrorist group at the international level.

During the raids, the Malaysian Police also have seized LTTE propaganda material, media equipment and currencies from 24 countries worth RM 20,176.53 (approximately US$ 6,280), the Inspector-General said in a statement.

He said all suspects were registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and used UNHCR) cards to stay in the country and to avoid legal action by the local authorities.

Khalid said one of the suspects even possessed a working permit at a non-exist company.

The suspects are being detained under the Immigration Act to facilitate investigations.

Khalid said the police would work closely with the UNHCR Office to ensure that terrorists would not exploit and abuse the UNHCR cards to turn Malaysia as their operation base or to carry out terrorism activities, which could pose threats to Malaysia or other countries.